Afternoon: Independent arrivals and transfers to the program hotel. Check-in after 3:00 pm.

Dinner: The welcome dinner will be held at the hotel.

Evening: INTRODUCTIONS: Following dinner, you will meet for introductions, a review of the program and site orientation. PRESENTATION: Newfoundland History and Culture. A presentation by a local expert and educator will provide an introduction to Newfoundland history and culture including early Newfoundland music, the Norse and Beothuk peoples and the resettlement program.

Lodging: Holiday Inn Express Deer Lake

Meals Included: Dinner

Gros Morne National Park/Exploratory Walk of the Tablelands/Newfoundland Fisheries

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Gros Morne National Park. Today we travel to the world renowned Gros Morne National Park - a world of spectacular landscapes and uncrowded spaces. During your stay in the Park you will meet experts, local residents, musicians and storytellers as part of your introduction to this phenomenal place. Declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1987, the park is internationally renowned for its scenic beauty, vast landscape and endless hiking trails. Gros Morne is also world renowned for its complex geology. It was here that geologists proved the theory of plate tectonics. Meet with a Park expert to examine the forces of nature that have shaped the land and the people on this World Heritage coast. Visit the state-of-the-art Discovery Centre. This is not just another interpretation centre, but an integral part of your Park experience.

Lunch: Lunch at the award-winning Seaside Restaurant, located in the scenic coastal fishing village of Trout River.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP AND PRESENTATION: Trout River and The Tablelands. Following lunch continue on to the southwest corner of the Park to the coastal settlement of Trout River. Explore magnificent views of the coast and the startling geology of the nearby Tablelands - the most important geological feature in Gros Morne Park, and the main reason for the park being declared a World Heritage Site. With a Senior Parks geologist, explore the lunar-like landscape where you will bear witness to the forces of plate tectonics and ancient glaciation that occurred about 470 million years ago. PRESENTATION: Newfoundland Fisheries. Meet with a local expert to hear stories of Newfoundland's fisheries. Although the tradition of fishing is an old one in Newfoundland, the innovations required to sustain the practice are anything but archaic. The creativity required in keeping the fishing industry afloat is one of the biggest challenges in Newfoundland. Hear about how they are adapting to the changing times. Continue on to the town of Cow Head where you will be warmly welcomed by your hosts.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Shallow Bay Motel and Cabins

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: This morning you will walk the trail to Western Brook Pond which is 3 km (2 miles) in length each way. The trail is boardwalk and gravel, mostly flat with a few slight grades. There is no transportation available on the trail.

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: This morning, you will walk the Western Brook Pond Trail to begin the cruise on Western Brook Pond.

Lunch: Enjoy a picnic lunch dockside at Western Brook Pond. There is a sheltered waiting area, indoor washroom facilities, canteen services and a gift shop as well as several beautiful picnic areas.

Afternoon: EXCURSION: This afternoon you will take a boat excursion on Western Brook Pond in Gros Morne National Park (weather permitting). This is the largest lake in the park. On board the boat, you will see the spectacular, land-locked Western Brook Pond fjord. The fjord is just one of numerous glacially carved fjords in the Long Range Mountains, the northernmost extent of the Appalachian Mountains. Waterfalls cascade from a height of 3,000 feet (900 meters), and you may spot some of the local wildlife. The lake is home to Atlantic salmon, brook trout and Arctic char as well as an unusual colony of cliff-nesting gulls. After returning from the cruise in late afternoon, enjoy some free time to relax at the hotel.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: PERFORMANCE: Enjoy a performance featuring Newfoundland stories, song and music, celebrating the Island's heritage and most importantly her people. Following the performance, enjoy a meet and greet with one of the performers.

Lodging: Shallow Bay Motel and Cabins

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: EXCURSION: Cow Head Lighthouse. This morning we head out for the Cow Head Lighthouse. Enjoy a scenic walk along the Cow Head Peninsula or "The Head" as it is commonly known and hear about the history of this area. After the trail crests the top of the head it turns back towards the ocean and the lighthouse. Built in 1909, it was used as a beacon for passing ships.

Lunch: Lunch en route.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Port aux Choix. This afternoon we head north on the Viking Trail to the town of Port au Choix, known as the "fishing capital" of Western Newfoundland. French, Spanish, Portuguese and Basque fishermen swarmed the west coast and settled in this port following John Cabot's discovery of cod. Today some come to sample the day's catch but the greatest attraction is the mystery buried underground. In the 1960s archaeologists discovered the graves of 90 Maritime Archaic Indians that date back almost 5,000 years. It is regarded as one of the richest archeological finds in North America. PRESENTATION: "The Ancient Peoples of Port-au-Choix - Groswater and Dorset Inuit and Maritime Archaic Indians".

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Evening: Enjoy the remainder of the evening to explore Plum Point, or catch up on your rest.

Lodging: Plum Point Motel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Ferry to Labrador/Point Amour Lighthouse/Afternoon Social/Ferry to Battle Harbour

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FERRY TO LABRADOR: Travel to St. Barbe to board the Labrador ferry "Apollo". Make sure you keep an eye on the water as whale and iceberg sightings are common on the ferry trip. Upon arrival, we travel north along the Labrador Coastal Drive. The scenery along this road is beautiful yet harsh, a reminder that those who live here are toughened by the elements that shape their existence every day.

Lunch: Lunch at Pointe Amour Lighthouse.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Point Amour Lighthouse and Afternoon Social. After lunch we explore the Point Amour Lighthouse, the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada. Lighthouses play an integral part in the history and culture of Newfoundland as you will discover through a presentation at the historic site featuring a local storyteller and an afternoon social featuring Labrador tea and wildberry tarts. FERRY TO BATTLE HARBOUR: Depart for Mary's Harbour for a short ferry ride to Battle Harbour. Ferry crossing approximately one hour; whale and iceberg sightings are common.

Dinner: Dinner in historic Battle Harbour, usually a three course offering with salad or fish cake starter, beef, chicken or turkey as entree, potatoes plus one other vegetable, a selection of homemade sweet breads/cookies/pies, coffee and tea.

Evening: The evening is free to explore local sites on your own.

Lodging: Battle Harbour Historic Buildings

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Battle Harbour National Historic Site - Presentation and Guided Exploration

Breakfast: Breakfast in Battle Harbour, typically consisting of a choice of hot or cold cereals, juice, coffee/tea, toast, an egg-based dish with meat, fish or homemade baked beans.

Morning: PRESENTATION: Battle Harbour Historic Site. Battle Harbour has been at the center of life in Labrador for centuries. Through presentations, guided walks and overnight stays in one of the restored historic homes in the village, discover the centuries of history that are embedded in the area. Begin with a presentation by a fourth generation Battle Harbour descendent who will share his personal stories and discuss life in an isolated Labrador community. Learn about the village's past as we visit numerous historic structures, walkways and work areas that have been restored or reinstated. A collection of more than 500 artifacts related to the fishery and everyday life are on display and there is a special exhibit on the Labrador Fisheries. Visit the Marconi Station where Commander Robert E. Peary used its wireless services to share details of his reaching the Pole to the outside world - which created a great controversy between Peary and Cook as to who exactly had reached the Pole first, if at all.

Lunch: Lunch in Battle Harbour. Fish in some form is usually offered during lunch accompanied by home made rolls, a selection of homemade sweet breads/cookies, coffee and tea.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Battle Harbour. Continue your exploration of Battle Harbour, winding your way through and around the wharves, stores and the shore side boardwalk, up a hill to St. James the Apostle Church - built in 1852 and restored in 1991 it is the sole surviving example of famed architect William Grey and the oldest surviving Anglican Church in Labrador. Travel back along the main east to west path in front of the NL Ranger Station, the former RCMP Detachment and each of the heritage homes. These historic buildings were once homes to the first permanent settlers who came to Battle Island in 1775 to work at the fishery which was established in 1770. In the years following, it became a major base for the region's cod and seal fisheries and for the commercial trade that led to the formation of a permanent community. In 1992, the Battle Harbour Historic Trust began to restore many of the buildings to their original condition. The village is a living commemoration of the life and society created there by Newfoundlanders and Labradorians during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.

Dinner: Dinner in historic Battle Harbour, usually a three course offering with salad or fish cake starter, beef, chicken or turkey as entree, potatoes plus one other vegetable, a selection of homemade sweet breads/cookies/pies, coffee and tea.

Lodging: Battle Harbour Historic Buildings

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast in Battle Harbour, typically consisting of a choice of hot or cold cereals, juice, coffee/tea, toast, an egg-based dish with meat, fish or homemade baked beans.

Morning: FERRY TO ST. MARY'S HARBOUR: After breakfast we travel by ferry from Battle Harbour to Mary's Harbour where you may encounter more whales and icebergs. Enroute we stop at the oldest mound burial in North America (time permitting) to ponder the mystery of the ceremonial burial of a Maritime Archaic adolescent who died some 7500 years ago, that's about 2000 years before the construction of the pyramids. PRESENTATION: Basque Whaling History. At Red Bay National Historic Site, a presentation by a Parks historian will highlight the Basque whaling industry dating back to the 1500s and the role that it played in the history of Canada. Explore artifacts and exhibits that tell the intriguing story of 16th-century Basque whalers who built the first industrial complex in the New World here. Learn about the thriving industry of the production of whale oil that lit the lamps of Europe in the late Middle Ages. Red Bay is the most complete and best preserved example of these ports.

Lunch: Lunch features traditional Basque food.

Afternoon: EXCURSION: En route to L'Anse au Clair, enjoy a sample of local preserves. Cloudberries and lingonberries (called bakeapples and partridgeberries in Newfoundland and Labrador) as well as blueberries, are processed into gourmet spreads and syrups.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Northern Light Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: FERRY TO MAINLAND: Board the ferry and cross the Strait of Belle Isle back to mainland Newfoundland. Continue your journey along the Viking Trail to St. Anthony, a seasonal fishing station for French and Biscayan (Basque) fishermen in the early 1500s. As the largest town at the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula, it was a base camp for early European settlers. Today, its proximity to L'Anse-aux-Meadows makes it one of the world's significant archaeological properties.

Lunch: Enjoy a delicious lunch at the Lightkeeper's Cafe in St. Anthony. Take in the ocean view while dining on Newfoundland specialities.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Explore the Grenfell Historic Properties complex in St. Anthony. At Grenfell House Museum and Interpretive Centre, learn about the life and times of Sir Wilfred Grenfell, a medical missionary who devoted his life's work to serving the people of northern Newfoundland and Labrador. You will have an opportunity to visit Grenfell Handicrafts, located in the Interpretation Centre. The Jordi Bonet Murals in the rotunda of the nearby Charles S. Curtis Memorial Hospital are a series of ceramic murals depicting the culture and history of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. On entering the rotunda, one is at once struck by the beauty and harmony of design and color. Some of the panels are quite realistic and not difficult to interpret while others are more abstract.

Dinner: Dinner at the hotel.

Lodging: Haven Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: EXCURSION: Whale Watching. Embark on a whale watching safari off the coast of St. Anthony to explore the breathtaking coastal waters of Iceberg Alley, an area noted for icebergs, whales and seabirds. The St. Anthony coast is one of the best places in the world for viewing humpbacks and Atlantic white-beaked dolphins. Minke, fin and killer whales are also common.

Lunch: Lunch en route. Experience the renowned Newfoundland hospitality and a choice of traditional or non-traditional dishes.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: L'Anse-aux-Meadows National Historic Site. This afternoon we set out for L'Anse-aux-Meadows National Historic Site - one of the highlights of this program. Meet a local expert for an in-depth presentation on the only authenticated Viking Settlement in North America. Here you will learn about this ancient settlement, the first European encampment in the New World and site of Leif Erickson's Vinland. Discover the westward migration of the Vikings and understand how they lived so long ago. Stand on the same grassy plain facing the sea where the Vikings stood 1,000 years ago, then stoop to enter the reconstructed sod house that once protected them from the chill, wind and snow. Experience first-hand the warm, smoky atmosphere of these efficient buildings, while interpreters depict Viking life. Eight Norse sod-house foundations were unearthed by explorer Helge Ingstad and his wife, archaeologist Anne Stine Ingstad, in the 1960s. They were assisted by George Decker, a local fisherman, who showed them what he thought was an Aboriginal campsite. This confirmed the discovery of the first European encampment in the New World. FIELD TRIP: Norstead Viking Village. Continue to Norstead Village, a re-created Viking village. A presentation will examine the human history of a Viking village and about the port of trade. Explore how the Vikings would have lived 1,000 years ago and discover what crops they would have planted in a reenactment of the daily life of a Viking. Marvel at a full-scale replica of a Viking ship and uncover the chieftain's hall, blacksmith shop, tents and fire pit and sample the fare and culture of the ancient Vikings at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Dinner: Dinner at the Norseman Restaurant. Explore an unforgettable dining experience in L'Anse aux Meadows. Take in a fabulous view of the ocean where whales and icebergs cross paths.

Lodging: Haven Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Following breakfast, we will travel south to the village of Hawke's Bay.

Lunch: Pizza and pasta buffet lunch at the Torrent River Inn in Hawke's Bay.

Afternoon: This afternoon, continue on to Deer Lake. EXCURSION: Arches Provincial Park. Ancient limestone carved by eons of pounding surf have created the Arches, a natural rock formation known throughout the province. The site includes a trail leading to the huge rocks.

Dinner: Farewell dinner at the hotel in Deer Lake.

Lodging: Holiday Inn Express Deer Lake

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Breakfast at the hotel is at 8:00 am.

Morning: A coach transfer to the Deer Lake International Airport will be provided after breakfast. Approximate arrival at the airport is between 9:30 and 10:00 am. NOTE: For those booked on earlier flights, you will need to take a taxi to the airport in Deer Lake; approximately $5 - 8 CDN.

Meals Included: Breakfast